I provide analytical and logistical support for the Herpetological Research Team. I am responsible for developing and managing our team’s data collection systems, as well as packaging and disseminating data via USGS data release products.
My role allows me to think about how ecological data are best collected and applied to research questions, and I enjoy utilizing new tools to achieve the highest standard of accuracy in data collection. I participate in many aspects of the research process, from project development and planning to data collection and proofing to writing results. Sometimes I even get out in the field to catch frogs!
Professional Experience
2015- present: USGS, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Wildlife Biologist, Corvallis, OR
2014-2015: Mt. Adams Research Stewards, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Amphibian Technician, Glenwood, WA
2010-2013: Oregon State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Graduate Teaching Assistant, Corvallis, OR
2009, 2010: University of Michigan Biological Station, Teaching Assistant for Ecology and Evolution Course, Pellston, MI
2008-2010: University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Museum Collections Assistant and Specimen Preparator, Ann Arbor, MI
Education and Certifications
M.S., Wildlife Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR (2013)
B.S., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (2009)
Affiliations and Memberships*
Northwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation – Steering Committee Member
Science and Products
Herpetological Research Team (FRESC)
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) captures before and after drought mitigation at Jack Creek, Oregon 2009-2021
Mercury concentrations in amphibian tissues across the United States, 2016-2021
Larval headwater stream amphibian captures from the Trask River Watershed Experimental Study of forest harvest impacts, 2008-2016
Cascade torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton cascadae) surveys in Oregon and Washington 2022
Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) telemetry and habitat use at Crane Prairie Reservoir in Oregon, USA
Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) observations in Oregon (ver. 5.0, January 2023)
Annotated bibliography of grazing effects on amphibians and their habitats (ver. 2.0, February 2022)
Capture-mark-recapture data for Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) along the Deschutes River, Oregon, 2016-2019
Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) monitoring data for metademographic analysis 2010-2018, Oregon
Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) telemetry and habitat use at Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, USA
Nutrients, estrogenicity, and fecal indicators in surface water collected from wetlands in the Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon, 2017-2018
Terrestrial salamander captures after the 2003 Clark Fire, Willamette National Forest, OR
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Broad-scale assessment of methylmercury in adult amphibians
Population dynamics of the threatened Oregon spotted frog before and after drought mitigation
Adjacent and downstream effects of forest harvest on the distribution and abundance of larval headwater stream amphibians in the Oregon Coast Range
Late season movement and habitat use by Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) in a large reservoir in Oregon, USA
An updated assessment of status and trend in the distribution of the Cascades frog (Rana cascadae) in Oregon, USA
Demography of the Oregon spotted frog along a hydrologically modified river
Monitoring wetland water quality related to livestock grazing in amphibian habitats
Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) not detected in an intensive survey of wild North American amphibians
Disentangling effects of invasive species and habitat while accounting for observer error in a long-term amphibian study
Late-season movement and habitat use by Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) in Oregon, USA
Effect of cattle exclosures on Columbia Spotted Frog abundance
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.
Science and Products
- Science
Herpetological Research Team (FRESC)
The Herpetological Research Team focuses on issues related to conservation and management of amphibians and other aquatic and semi-aquatic species. Among our current studies are effects of invasive species, disease, and land use change on the dynamics of amphibian communities to inform conservation and management decision making. - Data
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 16Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) captures before and after drought mitigation at Jack Creek, Oregon 2009-2021
Amphibians are among the most sensitive taxa to climate change, and species inhabiting arid and semiarid landscapes at the extremes of their range are especially vulnerable to periods of drought. The Jack Creek, Oregon, USA population of Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) faces unique challenges occupying the highest elevation site in the species’ extant range and one that has been hydrologicallMercury concentrations in amphibian tissues across the United States, 2016-2021
Comma-separated values (.csv) file containing data related to amphibian sampling across the United States between 2016 and 2021. Data files contain mercury concentrations in amphibian and dragonfly tissues, mercury concentrations in sediment, as well as amphibian morphometrics, and habitat and climate characteristics where the samples were collected.Larval headwater stream amphibian captures from the Trask River Watershed Experimental Study of forest harvest impacts, 2008-2016
Forest harvest is one of the primary landscape-scale management actions affecting riparian forests of the Pacific Northwest, U.S, yet the effect of harvest on headwater steam amphibians is largely understudied. Existing information is often limited because of the difficulty separating movement and emigration processes from occupancy and abundance estimates. We designed a before-after control-impacCascade torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton cascadae) surveys in Oregon and Washington 2022
The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is evaluating the status of the Cascade torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton cascadae) across its range to determine whether the species merits listing under the Endangered Species Act. The USGS conducted visual surveys for Rhyacotriton cascadae at 65 sites in Oregon and Washington that were historically occupied by the species. Sites were selected from a poolOregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) telemetry and habitat use at Crane Prairie Reservoir in Oregon, USA
We used radio-telemetry to study late-season movement and habitat use by Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) at Crane Prairie Reservoir in Oregon. This dataset includes individual frog location data and habitat use during each tracking event that occurred roughly weekly between September and late November of 2018.Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) observations in Oregon (ver. 5.0, January 2023)
This dataset contains information from surveys conducted 2016-2022 by USGS as part of an ongoing Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) monitoring effort in Oregon. USGS research activities 2016-2022 were divided into seven study design categories: breeding (egg mass counts), mid-level (visual encounter surveys for occupancy monitoring), apex (mark-recapture), telemetry, trapping, water quality (skinAnnotated bibliography of grazing effects on amphibians and their habitats (ver. 2.0, February 2022)
This database contains literature citations and associated summaries pertaining to livestock grazing effects on amphibians and their habitats, with an emphasis on the Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) and other listed/sensitive wetland-breeding amphibians in the western United States. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, nor did we perform a systematic meta-analysis; rather, literature reCapture-mark-recapture data for Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) along the Deschutes River, Oregon, 2016-2019
This dataset contains information from capture-mark-recapture sampling of Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) conducted 2016-2019 by USGS as part of a study relating R. pretiosa survival and abundance to wetland inundation in the upper Deschutes River. Data consist of site, survey, habitat, and species detection covariates, as well as 10 years of hydrological and drought metrics used to establishOregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) monitoring data for metademographic analysis 2010-2018, Oregon
This dataset contains information from surveys conducted 2010-2018 by USGS as part of a long-term Oregon spotted frog monitoring effort in the central Oregon range. Data consist of site, survey, habitat, and species detection covariates, as well as inter-site distance measurements.Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) telemetry and habitat use at Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, USA
We used radio-telemetry to study late-season movement and habitat use by Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) at Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. This data release includes frog location and habitat use data, as well as visualizations of telemetry data. Tracking events occurred roughly weekly between August and December of 2017.Nutrients, estrogenicity, and fecal indicators in surface water collected from wetlands in the Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon, 2017-2018
The data was gathered to determine the effects of cattle grazing on wetland water quality in the Klamath National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. Surface water samples from sites representing a range of grazing histories were collected between June and October in 2017 and 2018. Samples were analyzed for nutrients (ammonia, nitrate plus nitrite, nitrite and orthophosphate), total coliforms, E. coli, entTerrestrial salamander captures after the 2003 Clark Fire, Willamette National Forest, OR
Data are the result of fixed-area, time-constrained searches for terrestrial salamanders within and nearby a wildfire-affected area of the Willamette National Forest, OR. The spatial extent of the study was within one kilometer of the border of the Clark fire that burned an area of 2,009 ha in 2003. Site surveys occurred during March and April, 2005. An important feature of the data is that 100m2 - Publications
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Broad-scale assessment of methylmercury in adult amphibians
Mercury (Hg) is a toxic contaminant that has been mobilized and distributed worldwide and is a threat to many wildlife species. Amphibians are facing unprecedented global declines due to many threats including contaminants. While the biphasic life history of many amphibians creates a potential nexus for methylmercury (MeHg) exposure in aquatic habitats and subsequent health effects, the broad-scalAuthorsBrian J. Tornabene, Blake R. Hossack, Brian J. Halstead, Collin Eagles-Smith, Michael J. Adams, Adam R. Backlin, Adrianne Brand, Colleen Emery, Robert N. Fisher, Jillian Elizabeth Fleming, Brad Glorioso, Daniel A. Grear, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Patrick M. Kleeman, David Miller, Erin L. Muths, Christopher Pearl, Jennifer Rowe, Caitlin Teresa Rumrill, J. Hardin Waddle, Megan Winzeler, Kelly SmallingByEcosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Eastern Ecological Science CenterPopulation dynamics of the threatened Oregon spotted frog before and after drought mitigation
Amphibians are among the most sensitive taxa to climate change, and species inhabiting arid and semiarid landscapes at the extremes of their range are especially vulnerable to drought. The Jack Creek, Oregon, USA, population of Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) faces unique challenges because it occupies the highest elevation site in the species' extant range and one that has been transformed bAuthorsJennifer Rowe, Christopher Pearl, Adam Duarte, Brome McCreary, Michael J. AdamsAdjacent and downstream effects of forest harvest on the distribution and abundance of larval headwater stream amphibians in the Oregon Coast Range
Forest harvest is a primary landscape-scale management action affecting riparian forests. Although concerns about impacts of forest harvest on stream amphibians is generally limited to areas adjacent to harvest, there is a paucity of information regarding potential downstream effects of forest harvest on these species. We designed a before-after, control-impact (BACI) experiment to quantify potentAuthorsAdam Duarte, Nathan Chelgren, Jennifer Rowe, Christopher Pearl, Sherri L Johnson, Michael J. AdamsLate season movement and habitat use by Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) in a large reservoir in Oregon, USA
Dam-created reservoirs are common landscape features that can provide habitat for amphibians, but their water level fluctuations and nonnative predators can differ markedly from more natural habitats. We compared fall movement and habitat use by the Oregon Spotted Frog (Rana pretiosa) in the reservoir pool with nearby river and pond habitats at Crane Prairie Reservoir in central Oregon, USA. MovemAuthorsChristopher Pearl, Jennifer Rowe, Brome McCreary, Michael J. AdamsAn updated assessment of status and trend in the distribution of the Cascades frog (Rana cascadae) in Oregon, USA
Conservation efforts need reliable information concerning the status of a species and their trends to help identify which species are in most need of assistance. We completed a comparative evaluation of the occurrence of breeding for Cascades Frog (Rana cascadae), an amphibian that is being considered for federal protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Specifically, in 2018–2019 we resurAuthorsAdam Duarte, Christopher Pearl, Brome McCreary, Jennifer Rowe, Michael J. AdamsDemography of the Oregon spotted frog along a hydrologically modified river
Altered flow regimes can contribute to dissociation between life history strategies and environmental conditions, leading to reduced persistence reported for many wildlife populations inhabiting regulated rivers. The Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) is a threatened species occurring in floodplains, ponds, and wetlands in the Pacific Northwest with a core range in Oregon, USA. All life stages ofAuthorsJennifer Rowe, Adam Duarte, Christopher Pearl, Brome McCreary, Patricia Haggerty, John Jones, Michael J. AdamsMonitoring wetland water quality related to livestock grazing in amphibian habitats
Land use alteration such as livestock grazing can affect water quality in habitats of at-risk wildlife species. Data from managed wetlands are needed to understand levels of exposure for aquatic life stages and monitor grazing-related changes afield. We quantified spatial and temporal variation in water quality in wetlands occupied by threatened Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) at Klamath MarshAuthorsKelly Smalling, Jennifer Rowe, Christopher Pearl, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Carrie E. Givens, Chauncey W. Anderson, Brome McCreary, Michael J. AdamsBatrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) not detected in an intensive survey of wild North American amphibians
The salamander chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans [Bsal]) is causing massive mortality of salamanders in Europe. The potential for spread via international trade into North America and the high diversity of salamanders has catalyzed concern about Bsal in the U.S. Surveillance programs for invading pathogens must initially meet challenges that include low rates of occurrence on the lAuthorsHardin Waddle, Daniel A. Grear, Brittany Mosher, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Michael J. Adams, Adam R. Backlin, William Barichivich, Adrianne B. Brand, Gary M. Bucciarelli, Daniel L. Calhoun, Tara Chestnut, Jon M. Davenport, Andrew E. Dietrich, Robert N. Fisher, Brad Glorioso, Brian J. Halstead, Marc P Hayes, R. Ken Honeycutt, Blake R. Hossack, Patrick M. Kleeman, Julio A. Lemos-Espinal, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Robert W. Atkinson, Erin L. Muths, Christopher Pearl, Katherine Richgels, Charles W Robinson, Mark F. Roth, Jennifer Rowe, Walter Sadinski, Brent H. Sigafus, Iga Stasiak, Samuel Sweet, Susan C. Walls, Gregory J Watkins-Colwell, C. LeAnn White, Lori A Williams, Megan E. WinzelerDisentangling effects of invasive species and habitat while accounting for observer error in a long-term amphibian study
The invasive American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) and a variety of non‐native sport fish commonly co‐occur in lowland lentic habitats of the western United States. Both invasive taxa are implicated in declines of native amphibians in this region, but few long‐term studies of communities exist. Further, field studies of invasive–native interactions are complicated by confounding habitat modiAuthorsJennifer Rowe, Adam Duarte, Christopher Pearl, Brome McCreary, Stephanie Galvan, James T. Peterson, Michael J. AdamsLate-season movement and habitat use by Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) in Oregon, USA
Many amphibians use multiple habitats across seasons. Information on seasonal habitat use, movement between seasonal habitat types, and habitats that may be particularly valuable is important to conservation and management. We used radio-telemetry to study late-season movement and habitat use by Oregon Spotted Frog (Rana pretiosa) at nine sites from four populations along the Cascade Mountains inAuthorsChristopher Pearl, Brome McCreary, Jennifer Rowe, M. J. AdamsEffect of cattle exclosures on Columbia Spotted Frog abundance
Livestock grazing is an important land use in the western USA and can have positive or negative effects on amphibians. Columbia Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris) often use ponds that provide water for cattle. We conducted a long-term manipulative study on US Forest Service land in northeastern Oregon to determine the effects of full and partial exclosures that limited cattle access to ponds used byAuthorsM. J. Adams, Christopher Pearl, Thierry Chambert, Brome McCreary, Stephanie Galvan, Jennifer RoweNon-USGS Publications**
Hilber S, A. Barner, C. Benkwitt, K. Boersma, E. Cerny-Chipman, K. Ingleman, T. Kindinger, A. Lindsley, J. Reimer, J. Rowe, C. Shen, K. Thompson, Thurman L, and S. Heppell. 2015. Patterns and variation in benthic biodiversity in a large marine ecosystem. PLoS ONE 10(8): 1-17. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135135Hilber S., L. Thurman, A. Barner, C. Benkwitt, K. Boersma, E. Cerny-Chipman, K. Ingleman, T. Kindinger, A. Lindsley, J. Nelson, J. Reimer, J. Rowe, C. Shen, K. Thompson, and S. Heppell. 2015. Evaluating temporal consistency in marine biodiversity hotspots. PLoS ONE 10(7): 1-17. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133301Garcia, T.S., J.C. Rowe, and J.B. Doyle. 2015. A tad too high: Sensitivity to UV-B radiation may limit invasion potential of American bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) in the Pacific Northwest invasion range. Aquatic Invasions 10(2): 237-247. DOI: 10.3391/ai.2015.10.2.12Rowe, J.C. and T.S. Garcia. 2014. Impacts of wetland restoration efforts on an amphibian assemblage in a multi-invader community. Wetlands 34: 141-153. DOI: 10.1007/s13157-013-0492-zRowe, J.C. and T.S. Garcia. 2012. Lithobates catesbeianus (American bullfrog) diet. Herpetological Review 43(4): 633-634Garcia, T.S., L.L. Thurman, J.C. Rowe, and S. Selego. 2012. Antipredator behavior of the invasive American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) in a novel environment. Ethology 118:1-9. DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2012.02074.x**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
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To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government